BALTIMORE -- The Orioles, who had Chris Davis return to the lineup on Friday, will pitch top starter Chris Tillman in Sunday's regular-season finale with the emphasis being on posting up for a three-game series against the Red Sox that will have playoff implications.

Davis hit his 53rd homer in the sixth inning of the O's 12-3 loss.

"We did it two years ago and we're going to do it again," manager Buck Showalter, whose club was eliminated earlier in the week, said of running his best team out there. "It has nothing to do with trying to rain on somebody's parade. It's just compete and do what's right. Usually when that's the challenge, to do what's right, our guys do that."

Davis, the Major League leader in home runs and RBIs, sat out Thursday's game with a sore foot and was back as the team's cleanup hitter and first baseman. Tillman took his work day as planned on Friday and is slotted to start as long as that game still matters to Boston, which is fighting with Oakland for the American League's best record and top seeding.

"It's an envious spot to be in for them," Showalter said. "I think we owe it to everybody to put our best foot forward. Fortunately, we're physically able to do that."